[Paddlewise] BC's Perfect Storm

After my post about a short nearshore paddle during one of Southern
Vancouver Island's worst storms in four decades, I did get one back
channel criticism, mainly about having my family there, and secondly,
about the seamanship (or lack thereof) and the bad example I was. I just
wanted to say that while there was real danger that day, I did have
things under control. I could have left out some of the details (like
the family part), but I always tell everything exactly the way it went
down (even if brutally honest from time to time, or seemingly
self-damning, or just plain amusing).

I send this follow-up to the list, as others may have felt some anger at
my post. Please understand that you don't get "visuals" with PW, so you
don't know what the beach looked like, the direction of the waves, you
don't know what the "lay of the land" was, and you certainly have not
see me in action (nor do any of us get the "whole picture" when someone
makes a post on any given subject where an element of imagination might
be employed. That's why radio advertising is so effective, as it gets
your creative mental juices flowing. Words can have the same effect. But
what you imagine may not be correct.

I'm not ashamed of anything I've ever put on PW. I've expressed concern
about people emulating actions portrayed, but the consensus was that I
didn't need disclaimers. People also don't realize how specialized rough
water paddling is, and the requisite experience and tough training
needed to invest into such activity, including native talent with
respect to swimming abilities, abilities to swim underwater to escape
wild seas above if necessary (and the judgment to know when to take off
your PFD for this), acute awareness of how your body responds to various
elements of danger such as cold immersion, saltwater choking,  stability
of your joints, strength of reserves, ability to deal with stress and
cope with unexpected problems, determination levels, instantaneous
reflexes, etc.

I'm not justifying what I do  -- don't need to, as I'll keep on doing it
and scaling back as age and physical limitations demand, or other
enjoyment venues are found or developed. In the case of the perfect BC
storm, I did have other options available in terms of escape, which
would not have been apparent if you didn't know the area and the
lighthouse located out on a long reach of land that catches wet-exited
paddlers. As far as family, its all worked out for the most part. Sea
kayaking will always have an element of danger, even for calm water
seekers. BTW, I'm taking my wife paddling with me for my "summer trip"
this year, as opposed to going to the Queen Charlotte's with my bad
back.

I also posted a trip report the other day (The Perfect Norm) partially
out of response to the criticism. I rarely post my log book reports on
PW of the various trips I do -- short or otherwise, let alone one such
as the other day that involved 'stories and bedtime', but I was
obviously feeling pressured. Sorry to take up bandwidth.

BC'in Ya from BC's wild shores (and calm ones)
Doug Lloyd

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